Calculating machine



April c. M. FRIDEN ETAL ,346,834

CALCULATING MACHINE Filed March 9, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H -I )2"? Q FJILZI... .:I

ATTORNEY April 1944- c. M. FRIDEN ET AL ,3

CALCULATING MACHINE Filed March 9, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N mm W w T W N M m WML w mn mn-l rhdw IHN A MM d m b k QN mm Q Q k S 2R M {I NN\ N? .NW...,U. mm M m 1. 5 Q \f q N Kg Q a \m Patented Apr. 18, 1944 CALCULATING MACHINE Carl M. Fridcn, Pleasantn, and John L. Moody,

Oakland, Calif., asslgnors to Friden Calculating Machine 00., Inc.

fornia a corporation. of .Cali-= Application March 9, 1942, Serial No. 433,840

Claims.

This invention relate to calculating and adding machines and is concerned more particularly with the provision of improved means for controlling the release or clearing of depressed numeral keys of the keyboard.

It is a general object of the invention to provide selective clearing means for the various banks of keys of a keyboard for a machine of the character referred to.

Another object of the invention is to provide a keyboard in which various banks can be adjusted to clearing or non-clearing positions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the keyboard of a calculating machine embodying the instant invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the right hand portion of the keyboard.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the keyboard taken as indicated by the line 3-3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing an ordinal clear key in depressed position.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figures 3 and 4 but showing the ordinal clear key in its adjusted position to prevent clearing of the associated bank of keys.

The instant invention is designed to provide a selective means for controlling the clearing or releasing of set keys in the banks of the keyboard of the so-called eighty-one key type. In this type of keyboard, as shown for example in Friden Patent 2,229,889, a plurality of rows or orders of value keys from 1 to "9 are used to set the values into the machine through suitable selecting mechanism of a character not pertinent to the instant invention. In many operations it is desirable to maintain the values in certain rows of the keyboard while clearing the values in other rows of the keyboard so that in efiect a split keyboard is provided. In other instances, the value of the factor set in the keyboard may be constant in certain orders while other orders of the value will vary from calculation to calculation.

To provide a keyboard enabling the accomplishment of the above objects, we have employed the use of selectively settable elements, one for each row of keys, for determining whether or not the associated row of keys will be cleared upon operation of the general keyboard clearing means, this selectively settable means preferably taking the form of the usual zero key or clear key which is associated with each row or bank of value keys.

Referring to the drawings, a plurality of rows of value keys H] are provided which are mounted for endwise sliding movement in respective banks including frames II which are suitably mounted in the machine, for example by similar end plates l2, only one of which is shown. End plates l2 extend between respective side plates I3 of the machine. The keybank are held together by transverse tie rods l4 which also pass through elongated slots in the key stems, as seen in Figure 3. The keys Ill of each bank are all urged to their raised positions by a spring l6 which alternately passes under pin ll of the keys and over the upper set of tie rods M. The lower ends of the numeral keys ID are associated with a suitable form of selecting mechanism (not shown) so that such mechanism is set to represent the value of the depressed key.

A depressed key is held in depressed position by a latching slide 2| which is adapted to engage in a latching notch 22 of the key stem upon depression of the key under the influence of an associated spring 23. Th key is also provided with a cam surface 24 for moving the latching slide to inactive position upon depressing the key, so that the formerly depressed latched key will be released upon depression of another key in the same row.

Each order of numeral keys I0 is provided with an ordinal zero or clear key 26 which is also mounted for endwise sliding movements by slots engaging the associated tie rods Id. The key 26 is provided with a cam surface 21 adjacent its lower end so that upon depression of the key the latching slide 2| will be moved to release any depressed value key Hi.

In accordance with the instant invention, each ordinal clear key 26 is also provided with a locking foot or portion 28. Upon lifting of the key 26 to a position above its normal position (Figure 3) foot 28 isdlsposed within the associated slot 29 of the cooperating latching slide 2|, as seen in Figure 5, to lock the slide against endwise movement. In this position, depression of another numeral key In is blocked by the slide 2| so that the value set by the depressed key i locked in the machine. To facilitate lifting of a clear key, the top of each key 26 is provided with an extension 3|. To hold the key releasably in either raised or normal position, a latching pawl 32 (Figure 3) is pivoted on the key at 33 and urged in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3 by spring 34. The latching pawl 32 is provided with a V-shaped nose which is normally positioned below the rod l4 (Figure 3), but upon raising the key to its upper positio'n (Figure 5) is positioned above the rod 14.

In addition to the individual clearance of the orders of the keyboard by the marginal clear key 26, a simultaneous clearing means is provided in the form of a clear bail 36 which is pivotally mounted at 31 on the respective plates la. The ball 36 is provided with an end 38 (Figure 2) which extends through the adjacent plate [3 and is connected in a suitable manner for operation by a key or by power from the machine, for example as shown in said patent.

In front of each row of keys, the clear bail 36 is provided with a pair of opposed bent ears M which are apertured to receive pivot pins 42 of a clearing element or link 43. Element 43 is U- shaped and has a shoulder 44 formed in the opposed flanges thereof and disposed to engage the adjacent end of the latching slide 2|. Thus with the parts positioned as shown in Figure 3, rocking movement of bail 36 in a clockwise direction serves through the clearing element 33 to move the latch slide 2! to release any depressed key in the associated bank or row of keys.

To disable the clearing function of the clear ball 36 when an order of the keyboard is adjusted to lock in the setting of its keys, the clearing element d3 is pivotally connected at 68 with a slotted link 'l engaging a pin 48 carried by an extension 49 of the adjacent clear key 26. .Nor-

mally pin 48 occupies the upper end of the slot as viewed in Figure 3, the slot being of sumcient length to permit depression of the associated clear key 26 as shown in Figure 4. Depression of the clear key serves to tension spring 5! which extends between pin 58 and an ear 52 formed at the upper end of link ll. However, upon lifting of a key 26 to its key latch locking position, the link 41 is lifted and also moves the key slide operating element 43 so that its shoulder 45 is above the bent end of the associated slide 2|. Thus, upon clockwise rocking movement of the bail or gate 36, as viewed in Figure 5, the key releasing element as is disabled and will not release the aligned key latching slide 2!. We claimz 1. In a calculating machine, a set of value latching means for retaining an adjusted key in adjusted position, means for moving said latching means to inactive position, means for rendering said moving means inefiective with respect to said latching means, said last named'means including a key operable in one direction to effect a key releasing movement of said latching means and in another direction to render said moving means ineffective, and means on said key for keys,

blocking movement of said latching means when said key is adjusted in said another direction.

2. In a calculating machine, a row of value keys,

a spring-urged latching member for said keys, each key having a cam surface for moving said member and a latching notch to receive said member in a depressed position of the key, and a clear key operable in one direction for moving said member to release a depressed key, said clear key having a portion movable into locking relation with said latching member to prevent movement thereof upon operation of said clear key in another direction, whereby to lock a depressed value key in depressed position and to lock other value keys in raised position.

3. In a calculating machine, a row of value keys, a spring-urged latching member for said keys, each key having a cam surface for'moving said member and a latching notch to receive said member in a depressed position of the key, a clear key operable in one direction for moving said member to release a depressed key, said clear key having a portion movable into locking relation with said latching member to prevent movement thereof upon operation of said clear key in another direction, whereby to look a depressed value key in depressed position and to lock other value keys in raised position, a control member for position, said protuberance serving, when said clear key is in another position, to prevent movement of said latch to thereby lock a depressed value key and to prevent depression of any underpressed value keys in the row.

5. In a calculating machine having a row of value keys, a slidable latch for said keys, a clear key having a cam and a protuberance formed on the stem thereof, said cam serving to impart movement to said latch for unlatching a depressed value key when said clear key is depressed below its normal position, said protuberance serving, when said clear key is elevated above its normal position, to prevent movement of said latch to thereby look a depressed value key and to prevent depression of any undepressed value keys in the row.

CARL M. FRIDEN. JOHN L. MOODY. 

